Observation

[SazzJ]

Hi

 

I am after some advice and guidence please

 

We currently do not carry out observations in the sense that many of you's do. We complete daily sheets which in a sense are mini observations of what each child has done each day. These are recorded and photocopied and 1 copy goes home, the other goes in the child's file.

 

These mini observations however are not used for anything else

 

Now i know that we should be carrying out at least one observation a month on each child an using these for our planning etc but it is not the done thing in our setting and as a result there is no paper work to guide us

 

With the new EYFS coming into place soon, i know we have to do them.

 

Can anyone offer any advice on where i can samples from. And no my course didn'y prepare me for observations, its a degree and its pretty rubbish in terms of practical work

 

Any help, hints, or advice would be greatly appreciated?

 

PS it has already been suggested to management that we should carry out observations

[belle06]

If you look on the EYFS disc and website they have sample observation sheets that have been completed for people to look at you can also download the blank observation sheets. They also have planning sheets in line with the new EYFS.

[Guest]

You can't do better than using post-its for your spontaneous obs. We usually write our obs 'there and then' and at the end of the session pass them to the child's keyworker. Sometimes we write them up at the end of the session too. The keyworker accumulates obs on each child and uses this to identify the child's current interests, possible schemas and then uses this info to plan where to take the child next, what resources or activities to put out and extend the interests (eg in role play at our setting the children are heavily into Star Wars so we are trying to develop their love of light sabres by giving them targets to aim at, gross motor control, spacial awareness etc. We also have included squeezy bottles for them to fill, coordination, and aim at laminated numbers, pictures etc. They have really responded well.) We use a learning journey form which I've already added to the resource bank (a train and a caterpillar so far....) where we record the info in a parent friendly manner so we can talk to them and include their comments, obs, ideas etc.

 

There is no 'right' way to organise your obs and planning. Its what works for you and your team in your setting.....

Let us know how you get on or if you want more help!

[Susan]

Can you not use what you already do and analyse them to inform planning and assessment. You should not be rewriting anything--an observation should be in the form that it was made.

 

How old are the children that you are working with.

[Guest Wolfie]

If you're looking for any rationale or reading in connection with doing observations, and ideas for how to set up an effective system, any of the books by Vicky Hutchins are worth looking at, especially the most recent as it links to the EYFS very well....

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Supporting-Childs-...6703&sr=1-1

[catma]

It's the analysis of your information that is crucial, without that observations are purposeless. USe what you already do and take what you learn from it to inform your planning and practice. God analysis should give you the answer to "what do I have to do now to improve practice and provision?"

Cx

[beth1]

Thanks Wolfie for the link, I may have to buy a couple of books and they seem to fit in with what I need for my enabling envrioments assignments too.

 

 

 

Beth

[Guest Wolfie]

Well I'd definitely recommend that one, it's very readable with a sound theoretical base.